Tbilisi mayor admits protests were part of coup plot

Kakha Kaladze, the Mayor of Tbilisi and Secretary-General of the ruling party "Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia," has admitted that the protests in the country were part of an attempted coup.

"All the protests were part of a scenario planned and executed by external forces. The objective was clearly a state coup," Kaladze stated, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

He further revealed that searches were conducted in organizations and political parties linked to the protests.

As a result, a significant number of Molotov cocktails, fireworks, and other items used during the protests were seized.

To recap, since November 28, 2024, large-scale protests have gripped Georgia every evening, with citizens expressing outrage over the government's decision to halt talks concerning EU membership.

While some protests have remained peaceful, tensions have escalated in several instances, with demonstrators throwing objects and fireworks at police. In response, law enforcement has deployed tear gas and water cannons.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a nationalist from the ruling Georgian Dream party, has accused the opposition of deliberately inciting violence during the protests, even threatening to take punitive action against political adversaries. Meanwhile, President Salome Zourabichvili, who supports closer ties with the EU, has condemned the heavy-handed tactics employed by the police.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has aligned with President Zourabichvili’s criticism, condemning the "excessive and arbitrary use of violence" by the authorities, describing it as a "serious violation of the right to freedom of assembly."

The Georgian Interior Ministry reports that more than 300 individuals have been arrested in connection with the unrest, with over 140 people injured during the protests.

By Aghakazim Guliyev